hayden



(No Model.)

H. HAYDEN. STORE SERVICE SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 5 1882'.

HARRIS H. HAYDEN, on NEW YonK,

PATENT Farce,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC PARCEL DELIVERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

STORE-SERVICE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,485, dated December 5, 1882.

' Application filed August 14,1382. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIS HrHAYDEN, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented Improvements in Store-Service Sys- 5 toms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates mainly to that class of store-service apparatus in which the carriers are mechanically propelled by atraveling belt or band; and my invention consists in theimprovements, fully described hereinafter, whereby to obviate or reduce the labor of manipulating the carriers and facilitate the operations. V

My invention further consists in certain de- 1 tails applicable to store-service apparatus gene1 ally.

In thedrawings, Figure lisa side view of a store-service apparatus illustrating my improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross -section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the carriers; Fig. 4, a detached view of part of a way and turn-out. Fig. 5 is aperspective ,view of a cash-receptacle, and Fig. 6 is a modification.

2 5 A isthedriving-belt, which passes round two or more guide-pulleys, O G, wholly above the counter, supported by standards H, as shown; or the belt may pass above the counters going and beneath the counters returning, or both 0 sections may be upder the counter or below the floor, as circumstances may render desirable. One of the pulleys may be a drivingpulley, operated from any suitable source. As

shown, a Griscom electromotor, W, carried by or near to the frame, drives the adjacent pulley O by meansof a band. By thus mounting the motor-engine upon or near the frame and driving the belt directly the difficulties resulting from conducting and arranging driv- 4o ing-belts in a crowded store are obviated, and the noise arising when gears are used is avoided.

The carriers D are connected permanently or detachabl y to the belt in any suitable manloosely by arms 8 tea bar, d,which is flattened at the end soas to fit between the belt and a spring blade or clasp, R,by which it is retained until detached by hand or automatically, as hereinafter described.

ner. As shown, each carrier is suspended As the weight of the carriers would cause the belt to sag and interfere with the delivery operations, I use rigid guides I, extending parallel to the belt and affording rests for the bars at as they are carried along from the desk and 5 over the series of counters or stations. Guides of any suitable character may be employed, as rods, half-tubes, flat plates, or strips, 850. As shown, each guide is a strip having'two parallel grooves, g g, the former for the belt and the latter to receive a friction-roller, e, which turns loosely on the bar cl. By this means the belt is relieved ofthe weight of the carriers, and the latter are properly guided.

To avoid the necessity of putting the carriers on and taking them from the ways at the stations, I cause the carriers to dump their loads at the stations without arresting their travel. Th us a carrier suspended as described may strike a stop-pin, which tilts it until the load is discharged into a trough, E, or other receptacle, the movement of the carrier being continued. In like manner the salesman at the sales-counter deposits his goods and money, properly marked with the number of his sta- 7 tion to guide the return of the parcel in any one of the carriers as it passes or waits until that pertaining to his counter is opposite, the boys at the packing-desk removing the contents of all the carriers or the latter dumping 8o them automatically or being themselves automatically detached at the desk. This latter may be effected by deflecting the guide-groove g at the desk, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to carry the roller and its bar 01 to one side until the 'bar is drawn from beneath the hook It, thus releasing the carrier from the belt.

It is desirable to use the carriersindiscriminately, both in sending to the main desk and to the stations, and at the same time it is de- 0 sirable to have the carrier dump the goods automatically on returning them to the station from which they were sent. To effect these results I provide each carrier with stops, which may be adjusted at the desk so as to cause the 5 carrier to discharge at any station, as indicated by the letter or figure placed on the goods by the salesman who sent them to be packed. Thus each carrier may be provided with a se ries of adjustable fingers, f, and the stops h are'so set at the stations that a carrier will be tilted at any station, if the clerk at the desk turns down the finger marked to correspond to the number or letter of, such station.

Instead of hinged fingers, the carriers may have numbered or lettered holes or sockets to receive pins inserted at the main desk, or any other system of adjustable stops may be used.

19 place of tilting carriers, I may use carriers constructed in any other suitable manner so as to dump their loads, as with two hinged sections which open to deposit the contents upon contact with suitable keys or guides adjus'ted on or near the return-way for that purpose.

The carriers may be suspended to cross-bars (1, connected to two continuous cords or belts A and supported at each end, as shown in Fig. 6.

The trough E may be hinged at m or n, Fig. 2, so as to be turned to one side to empty the contents; or the carriers may dnmpinto chutes I, Fig. 1, which will carry the goods down and within easy reach of the salemen at the'counters.

Where the carrier is detached at the main desk, as described, the guide may be duplicated above the switchway 9, Fig. 4, so as to prevent the roller-cleaving the bottom groove.

In place ofusin g the adjustable stops on the carriers, each may be provided with one stop and conspicuously marked, so that only goods intended for one station will be placed in it; but it is preferable to use the carriers indiscriminately, as described.

To prevent the loss of change in dumping the contents, and also to retain the check or memorandum sent with the goods, I use a spring cash-holder, V, Fig. 5, provided with arms a u, which facilitate openingit, and with a spring, 12, which tends to keep it closed. Each salesman is'provided with one or two cash holders having his number. As the salesman is apt to lay the cash-holder down, and afterward when required lose time in looking for it, I turn one end over, so as to form a flat hook, it, by means of which it can be hooked into the clothing when not in use,so as to be immediately available when wanted.

It will be apparent that the system of carriers with adjustable stops, whereby the clerk at the desk can determine the point at which the load of a carrier shall be delivered, may be applied to carriers moving by gravity or otherwise, so as to avoid the necessity of having specific carriers for each station.

I claim- 1. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of a desk, ways, counters or stations, carriers, and appliances, substantially as described, whereby the contents of the carriers are discharged at the stations while the earriers are moving, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a store-service apparatus, of a belt and means for propelling it, carriers connected to said belt, and appliances, substantially as described, whereby the contents of the carriers are discharged while the carriers are moving with the belt, substantially as set forth.

3. v The combination of desk and counters of a store and the traveling belt, carriers, and unloading appliances adjusted to discharge the contents of each carrier at the station for which they are intended, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the traveling'belt,

stops at the stations, and carriers provided with movable dumping-stops, substantially as set forth.

5. In a storeservice system, ways between the desk and stations and carriers provided with movable indexed stops, whereby the clerk at the central desk can determine the station at which each carrier shall deliver its load, substantially as set forth.

' 6. The combination, with a store -service carrier,.of a series of movable stops, f, substantially as set forth. V

7. The combination of a belt, attachments connecting dumpin g-carriers detachably thereto, stops for discharging the contents of the carriers while they are moving, guides, and a deflector whereby the carriers are disconnected from the belt at the main desk, su bstantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a traveling belt, a guide or support, I, and dumping-carriers connected to said belt, and provided with bearings resting. upon said support, substantially as specified.

9. The combination, with the traveling belt and its carriers, of the guide I, having recesses g g, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination,with the traveling belt and dumping-carriers, of a receptacle, E, substantially as set forth.

11. The cash-receptacle V, provided with separated arms, one having a hooked end and a spring, as set forth. 4 i l 12. The combination of the dumping carriers moving between the main desk and stations, and chutes arranged to conduct the contents of the carriers to the stations, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRIS H. HAYDEN.

Witnesses:

B. T. BURNHAM, Enwn. DENBY. 

